My parents had actually wanted to emigrate to the West, perhaps even to Italy, shortly before the Wall was built. But with a little persuasion from my grandmother, they stayed in the GDR. Later, they had me. From an early age, I had been well-protected, romping around in my grandparents' garden and had little contact with the dictatorial excesses of East German communism. Seemingly, nothing stopped me from pursuing my dream of a favorite profession: I had wanted to be a teacher since I was 6 years old. I was only allowed to attend the EOS upper secondary school because my mother had no academic background. If she had studied like my father, I would have been denied this opportunity. Additionally, I had to have a minimum grade point average of 1.7. At 21, and with the love of my life, a baby was quickly announced, and I learned – during my studies in mathematics and physics – what it meant to simply continue studying while heavily pregnant. Back then, there was no help from the university. Family-friendly university was a foreign concept. Still, I wanted both from the bottom of my heart: a family and finally being in front of the class. For my birth in July, I received a 1,000-Mark donation from the SED government, the opportunity to move into a new building, and a state-guaranteed daycare place. I also received a wonderful gift package from my mother's sister's family, who had emigrated before the Wall was built. Nevertheless, I experienced several challenges that came with subtle restrictions: promotion to regional head of the mathematics department, based on my excellent performance in pedagogy, was only possible if I joined the SED. I declined politely. No external incentives encouraged me to get involved in the party. I had heard too many negative things from my mother-in-law. Like 90% of women in the GDR, I worked and simultaneously gave up family life. A double burden, intended by the system, which allowed me to continue to experience professional self-efficacy, but my daughter stayed more often in daycare or, fortunately, with her grandparents. There, she regularly and diligently crafted. Unfazed by the simplicity of GDR life, she and my father came up with the most creative craft ideas. Like the colorful Wheel of Fortune they built in the basement one day. A loving expression of my mother's and life experiences in dictatorial East Germany: some things can be accomplished with family support, loving commitment, and a bit of luck!
